Fragrance is an incredibly personal aspect of our respective beauty routines. The intricate symphony of notes one might find in their perfect perfume may smell entirely out of tune to someone else. While some of us prefer to swathe ourselves and (our home decor) in warm musks and fresh florals, others may claim rich woods and sensual spices as their own signature scents.
That’s why when testing this year’s nominees, there was arguably more debate among the Allure editors than in any other category. With every spritz or dab of a new formula at the office, oohs, ahhs, and icks rang out. Simply put, opinions were strong, and the deliberations took weeks. But in true Allure Best of Beauty Awards fashion, we eventually nailed down the olfactory delights that more than pass the smell test.
Consider an herbaceous, Summer of Love-inspired blend from 19-69, or Vacation’s newest candle, which transports you to a hotel lobby before a debaucherous Miami evening. Or perhaps a luxe liquid bouquet from Lancôme is more your speed, which somehow captures the sun’s warmth in its bottle. No matter your olfactory preferences, our list of 2022 Best of Beauty Scent winners is primed to hit all each and every note.
Once you’re done, head over to our 2022 Best of Beauty Awards to meet the rest of this year’s winners.
Best of Beauty Awards 2022: Fragrance
Jump to your favorite category or keep reading to see the gourmand scents, citrus spritzes, and floral hair mists we deemed worthy this year:
Best Floral Scent
Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia
Why it won: Go ahead and judge Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by its bottle. Because if you’re into its hot pink hue and not-so-subtle floral motif, you’re bound to adore the bouquet of gardenia, jasmine, and pear blossom within.
Best Herbaceous Scent
19-69 Invisible Post
Why it won: You don’t have to be able to pronounce “herbaceous” to appreciate the mix of woody (cedar, sandalwood) and green (palm leaf, black currant) notes that comprise 19-69 Invisible Post.
Best Earthy Scent
Ralph Lauren Polo Earth
Why it won: Ralph Lauren Polo Earth is the fragrance equivalent of glamping. With notes like sage and vetiver, a spritz makes you feel close to nature, but not so close that you couldn’t call an Uber to go home if you got desperate.
Best Gourmand Scent
Lake & Skye Santal Gray
.jpg)
Why it won: You know what they say about assuming.… but it’s a pretty safe bet that anyone wearing Lake & Skye Santal Gray, a creamy blend of sandalwood, violet leaf, and cardamom, has exquisite taste.
Best Citrus Scent
The Harmonist Sacred Water
Why it won: “A few spritzes in the morning lasts all day,” says associate digital beauty director Sarah Kinonen of The Harmonist Sacred Water. And that’s a good thing, because otherwise we’d go through this mandarin, orange blossom, and ginger blend like, well, water.
Best Fruity Scent
Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh
Why it won: What does the pineapple- and mango-spiked Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh have in common with a glass of champagne? They’re both a bit sweet, delightfully effervescent (the fragrance metaphorically; the bubbly literally), and make for a fun night out.
Best Solar Scent
Lancôme Idôle Aura
Why it won: With rose, bergamot, and salted vanilla, Lancôme Idôle Aura smells the way sunshine hitting your back feels: warm and enveloping. The ultraslim bottle fits satisfyingly in your hand.
Best Hair Mist
Kayali Hair Mist Déjà Vu White Flower 57
Why it won: It’s true that any fragrance can be a hair fragrance if you spray it around your head. But Kayali Hair Mist Déjà Vu White Flower 57 is formulated with aloe vera, camellia, and castor oils to ensure that doing so with this white floral blend leaves strands shiny, not strawlike.
Best Perfume Oil
Nest New York Perfume Oil
Why it won: Nest New York Perfume Oil is what you’d get if you could order your fragrance on the rocks. Single notes like Turkish rose, Seville orange, and Madagascar vanilla are blended with baobab oil — and only baobab oil — to soften and scent skin simultaneously.
Like what you see from Allure‘s Best of Beauty Awards?
link